The school holidays began for all the children and young adults this week, which means they are all home in the village for the next 6 weeks. I can now understand how parents can get stressed out when their kids have long breaks from school and are home all the time! Just think of having 127 of them ranging from age 6 months to 22 years old and you have an idea of what Lily of the Valley is like. Although this time is overwhelming, I also view it as giving me more possibilities to invest in the kids. Since most of the programming for activities is oriented around the younger children in the village, the teenagers are often bored and left to entertain themselves. So I saw this holiday break from school as an opportunity to begin some more consistent activities with the teenagers on my caseload. I have continued the typing lessons that I began a month ago and I am including some other practical computer literacy training, as well as career and personality exploration.  I also helped one of the girls start a small business project, which she has been very successful with. The most difficult part of my role with the teens is developing activities that catch their interest and get them excited. I have quickly realized that it is no small task to get them engaged and committed to many of the activities involved in life skills development. Having this in mind, I am always trying to plan things for them that I could see myself having interest in at that age.

Aside from the onsite activities, I am also planning a few off site things for the teens to do as well. This Saturday, another volunteer and I are taking all the teenage boys in the village to go paintballing! (If I’m being honest, I am probably even more excited than they are!) I called a local paintball facility and they were willing to give free entry and rentals to our group so that was a huge blessing, especially since finances are extremely tight here. I am also hoping to do a camping trip, beach trip, a service project, and a few other activities before they all head back to school.

One of my highlights from this past week was going into the neighboring township for the first time since arriving at Lily. The management here does not encourage it due to safety concerns but it’s something I don’t agree with them on. I went with two other Zulu guys from Lily and we went to a few stores and got lunch. I was able to meet a bunch of guys and briefly talk with them. The majority of them seemed very pleased that I was there and it felt like they were honored by my presence. The sad reality is, they rarely see any white people in their communities, especially none that are walking around and interacting with them on their level.  Previously I had only driven through these areas and I was always met with stares, so it was such a privilege to meet some of them, hear their voices and see their smiles. There have been many break-ins recently at Lily and as they increase the management has practically broken all ties with the neighboring communities and I want to at least show some of the people in the township that I am not isolating myself from them and I do not view myself on a different level than them. I want to break the perception they have of whites, especially white expats, of being afraid and unwilling to relate with them.

I have been able to more clearly see the lasting effects of apartheid. Crime is very high here and since the whites still clearly have more resources than the blacks it is often the poor in the townships who are committing the crimes and this increases fear and further divides the races. In some parts of the country there is harmony and diversity, however within the populations of extremely high and low socioeconomic status it is mostly absent apart from the Indians. This is an issue on both macro and micro scales and it’s something you can all lift up in prayer.

In other news: Two weeks ago I took two days off and went to Hluhluwe game reserve and iSmangiliso wetlands park. They were both so beautiful and I was able to go on a Safari as well. Wildlife and landscape here is glorious and I am blessed to have it all around me.

On Sunday I will be going on a retreat with MCC in Durban for a week. I am looking forward to having a nice break and interacting with other volunteers and staff. I am definitely beginning to miss home over this holiday season but am also excited to experience this time in a completely different context. Thanks for the continued support.

Another glimpse into my life at Lily

 It's always hard to begin writing these blog entries because there is always so much going on around me every day with the children in the village, alongside spiritual and emotional change within myself. I guess I'll start with the fact that I can now say I have reached a certain level of comfort here where I now can begin to feel like I have more purpose and belonging.

For the first 4 to 5 weeks I was in an adjusting phase where I felt like I was a stranger and although all the kids and staff fully welcomed me, I still felt like an outsider. I think that was a natural feeling to have. There were (and still are) simultaneous transitions that were required of me, including meeting 115 children and learning their names (I have about 100 and counting), learning various aspects of the Zulu culture, understanding my role here (ongoing), and learning how to deal with a greater "eb and flow" of emotional and spiritual health. Another speed bump that I recently hit, was personally experiencing yet another reason to hate the little devils called Ticks. All of this past week I was locked up in my house with a high temp, headaches, body aches, and a sore throat. I ended up going to the clinic after a few days of this misery and after finding a tick bite the doc prescribed me some meds to treat Tick Bite Fever which is fairly common in sub-saharan Africa. I'm feeling much better now so things are looking up! Anyway, the point is I have overcome some challenges and I have found more belonging here, but I have also realized that the challenges will continue to present themselves and overcoming them fosters growth in different areas of my life.

Some of the recent happenings here:

- Two weeks ago I went along to a massive gathering/party for all the children's villages in Kwazulu Natal that took place in Durban. There were over 6500 children/teens there along with supercars, a ridiculous amount of bouncy castles/food and drink, and a South African celebrity showcase. The whole point of the day was to give all the vulnerable children in the province one day where they just can completely let loose and enjoy themselves. It was chaotic and the structure of the event was sketchy, but nonetheless in was pretty amazing to all the kids in a state of pure joy. Also the Senior Lily Dance crew won the talent show with their legit dance routine. They are extremely talented!

- I started a typing class last week for the teenagers on my caseload because I feel it is a very important skill for them to learn especially when/if they go to University. Initially, I was skeptical that no one would be interested and it would be a fail, but to my surprise the computer lab has been packed full every time I open it up for them to learn, and most of them have a drive to learn quickly. Although it may seem small, this was very encouraging to me because it gives me more confidence to implement other activities and shows me the teens are willing to engage. I also feel positive about where my relationships with many of the teenagers are at the moment. I am gradually building trust and friendship with them and they almost always seem to appreciate me being around.

-I have also taken over responsibilities for organizing the monthly market in the village which is a place where staff and/or children can sell and buy things. Many of the staff have their own stands but pay the children to run the stand so they get some experience with money management and customer service. It's also an opportunity for the children to spend their monthly pocket money on a variety of goods. The market has been a highlight for me every month because it brings out all the children and volunteers in the village and every one has a great time.

- There has been a spin-top hype in the village over the past 6 weeks or so. It is a game that most of the children and some of the teenagers play in their free time and I have learned the rules and also like to play. One side note: The kids here can entertain themselves and are often creative with their games outside. Unlike many kids in the States that I have related with, the kids here don't need a screen or constant stimulation to be content.

Here are some pics of the spintop game:

 And here are pictures of some of the children and teenagers:

I am encouraged daily by the resilience these young people have and the way they are wiling to embrace people into their lives. I have been humbled in many ways since coming here because I am an outsider to this culture and I think humility is a huge part of adapting and understanding a new context. If you have time to pray for me, please pray that I have renewed energy and purpose every morning and that God continues to nurture me and strengthens my relationship with him and the children. Thanks for your love and support!

Settling in

So routine has recently started to make itself known here. In the past four weeks I have been able to further develop friendships and relationships with the children, teens, and other staff. This will obviously be ongoing for me, as trust in relationship requires a lot of time, however I am pleased with how well I have been able to connect specifically to the teens. I feel like they view me as a friend and joke around with me almost as a peer, but also have a healthy balance of respect mixed in as I am also an authority figure. These teens are some of the most down to earth and carefree kids I've ever met. I'm sure some of it can be coping mechanisms or a facade but honestly it seems genuine to me and it's hard to believe these same kids are HIV positive orphans. It's inspiring.

 I have had sporadic one on one "meetings" with teenagers on my caseload over the past few weeks and for the most part those talks have gone really well and the kids enjoy the individual attention because they rarely find it anywhere else. Along with meeting with the teenagers, I have also started to plan life skills development activities. Today, I organized for two groups of teens to take taxi's (practically the only public transportation around) into Pietermaritzburg to get lunch and then come back. This sounds like a relatively easy task, however the taxi system here can be very chaotic and intimidating (speaking from personal experience) and navigating can be difficult. I realized that understanding how to use the taxi's would be crucial for them once they leave the village. This is just one brief example of the sort of things I will be planning in the near future. Some activities will be on site and some will be off site (i.e. money management, creating small business initiatives, typing classes, mall scavenger hunt, individual tutoring, etc). Oh, and if you guys have any ideas regarding life skills development for kids aged 13-18, let me know I'm all ears!

Adjustment has been a continuous process for me and some days are more difficult than others. My work at Lily is very draining but not necessarily because I am super busy. It's mostly because I'm always in the village and there is constant stimulation which can be overwhelming. Interaction with the children often feels like it requires an unlimited source of energy... Anyway, these are just a few challenges that have presented themselves and they haven't come as much of a surprise but I still would like prayer for a constant daily renewal of energy and optimism because ultimately I want to pour myself out into the children's lives which cannot be accomplished through my own flesh. It needs to come from the Father. Also there has been increased crime inside the village so you can also pray for the safety of the children and staff as well as wisdom and discernment for the management as they have to make decisions regarding security.


 Over the next few days I am having a spiritual retreat with MCC to reflect on my transition and to have a much needed break. Today was the first day and I already feel spiritually, mentally, and emotionally refreshed. I'm starting my 7th week here in South Africa! Wild. I miss you all at home and I'm jealous of the fall weather and fairs, but I have much to be thankful for here (and the weather here will be nice for the next 8 months :p). Thanks for the continued support and prayer, I don't take it for granted!

Ekhaya lami elisha (my new home)

I finally made it to Eston and Lily of the Valley! I am just finishing up my third full day and first official work day! Unfortunately it was cloudy and rainy the first few days, but this morning I woke up to an absolutely beautiful day. It was bright and breezy with minimal clouds and for the first time I was able to adequately see this area's beauty in fullness. Lily is located right on the edge of an area called "The land of a thousand hills," and it's clear to see how it got the name. When I look around, all I can see are rolling hills and valleys alongside them (Oh, and these "hills" are more like small mountains). I hope to explore the area on foot sometime soon! I'll work on posting some pictures soonish but they wont do it justice.

**I apologize in advance for my scattered thoughts in this next section--

I am living in one of the houses in the village with two other staff members. Last night something fell out of my closet... I frantically woke up and right when I looked over to where the noise came from I saw this shape move quickly. It jumped behind my curtain and leapt out of my slightly cracked window.  I honestly think it was a monkey! Let's just say I wont be opening my window at night anymore haha. It makes perfect sense though because there is a game reserve bordering Lily's property.

Since getting here I have already met and interacted with most if not all of the children. I have been intentionally trying get down all 116 names (this will take awhile). I already have so much appreciation and admiration for these children. I've been able to see their resilience, optimism, and accepting nature in just a short time. They have been very welcoming to me and are so quick to smile, interact, and show me the ropes of their home. The children also have such a variety of talents. They have a hip-hop dance team and they are incredible and many of the children sing gospel and it's amazing. Also I went along on a trip to music class where the children were learning new instruments and I was fascinated at how quick they were picking it up.

Today was my first day working in early exit programming. I met with the social workers here and they gave me a better understanding of my role (which contains significant flexibility and room for development). The children on my caseload that I will specifically be working with are in grades 7-9 (I think there are about 15 total). Essentially, I will be assessing their life skill needs and helping to implement activities that address weaknesses as well as find areas of strength to reinforce. If I'm being honest, creativity is not my strong suit and it essential with this job so if you all wouldn't mind praying for some insight and inspiration along the way I would be very grateful :). That being said, I am very excited to start relating with the children!

I'll end with this: Yesterday I played soccer with the teens for the first time and I think they were surprised to see a Mlungu (white person) hold his own. Subsequently, the children started to call me Dean Furman... I later found out that Dean is the sole white man on South Africa's national soccer team! I proudly embrace the name.

Continued prayer is always appreciated especially now because this transitional time will be difficult as I deal with some isolation, a new role, and missing aspects of home (i.e. football season starting lol). Okay, that's all for now!

Brief Update

On Wednesday I finished a week of general orientation in Akron, PA and the past two days were spent in route to South Africa. Today is my first official day in SA and I will be spending the next 12 days here in Pietermaritzburg for an in-country orientation. The MCC offices and housing are all located in a compound that used to be a prison (primarily for political prisoners) up until the 1980's. In fact, Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi both spent time in this prison. Pretty cool. You guys can read a little more about it here if you would like (http://www.projectgateway.co.za/History_of_the_Prison.html). Project Gateway now owns the property and uses it as a school campus along with job skills training initiatives.

The majority of orientation will involve intensive Zulu language lessons (a prominent language in the Kwazulu-Natal province). Other than that, this orientation time is to get a sense of the culture and to learn some of the ropes. Although I am aware the transitional process of adjusting to a new place can be mentally and emotionally exhausting, I currently feel lots of energy and excitement for what is to come. I'd appreciate prayers for a continual source of energy and optimism as I engage with this new place!

So it begins!

So I have created a blog. Not because I absolutely love to write or want more publicity surrounding my life experiences, but mostly because I think it will be essential for me to express my thoughts and feelings as I adapt to a place I've never been, a culture I've never experienced, and people I've never met. Also, this is a way for you all to get some glimpses into my life as I will most likely not see any of you for a year.

I am convinced that this next year will be one of the most difficult yet rewarding years of my life. Anticipating everything I will experience in South Africa is honestly pretty overwhelming and I have accepted the notion that I will not be able to survive emotionally and spiritually without God's provision in my life. The last couple months I had been worrying because I felt so unprepared, but then I came to the reality that there was nothing I could do to be "fully" prepared for what will happen. I started to just find contentment through the idea of being okay with the unknown.

I don't know what the children will be like who I'll be working with.
I don't know how my relationship with the children and staff will grow
I don't know how well I'll adapt to this brand new culture
I don't know all the details surrounding my role at Lily of the Valley

But that's alright. I trust the process and I trust that God has great things in store and I hope to keep that mentality through this entire next year of my life.

The abundance of support that I have been given from family and friends has been such a blessing! It has helped to give me the confidence to step out in faith. Having the awareness that you all are thinking and praying for me will fuel me in this next year. I hope to write on here somewhat consistently so that I won't be completely absent. There is no doubt in my mind that I will miss many aspects of home, but I also fully understand how this opportunity will change my life for the better and so I am ready to encounter this next step in my life!